Improved cab-spring



@attra tatrs lidstaat @fitter E. U. BENEDICT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. Letters .Patent No. 73,690, dated January 28, 1868.

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TO ALL WHOM IT 'MAX CONCERN:

Be it known that I, E. U. BENEDIGT, of Chicago, in the county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have Ainvented. a new and improved Spring for Railroad-Cars, and other purposes; and vI do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, making part of this spcciicaticn, in which Figure 1 shows the spring before it is compressed. Figure 2 shows the spring when it is subjected to considerable pressure. t Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

The object of this invention is to adapt a very light and elastic spring to sustain great loads, and to operate to the best'advantage while sustaining either` very light or very heavy loads.

I The nature of my invention consists in interposing a spring, of a suitable description, between bearings, which are arranged in diilerent planes and at did'erent distances apart, in such manner that as the weight upon the springjs increased, the dierent bearings-will be brought into action, and the resisting power of the spring proportionatelyincreased, as will be hereinafter explained.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I will'descrbe one practical mode of' carrying into eilect. 1 f I In the accompanying drawings, B represents a spring-block, Working between guides C C, and D is a fixed cross-piece, which is'secured between said guides, so that it is immovable. The spring-plate or ybar E is interposed between three metallicblocks, F F F', as shown in both figures of the drawing. That marked F is secured firmly to the bottom of the movable block B, and constructed with three bearings or projections, a a a', on its lower side. The blocks F are also constructed with projections or bearings, 6 b', and firmly secured to the bar D, at or near its extremities. i i I When there is little or no weight upon the block B, the intermediate or central projection a will rest -on top of the`spring E, 'at the middle of its length, and the ends of this spring will be supported upon the highest bearings,'b b', of the blocks F', as shown in iig. 1. When there is considerable pressure or load upon the block B, the two projections, a a, ,of block F, will be broughtto act upon the spring E, while the projections b of blocks F will 'support thezspring, and increase its power of resistance by shortening its bearings on one side and lengthening the-points of support of the load on the opposite side, as shown in iig. 2.

In the first instance above mentioned, the load will be sustained by the spring from its centre toward its ends, on the'upper side thereof; in the second instance, the load is sustained by thefspring from both ends toward the centre on its lower side; thus a self-acting spring support is produced, which is adapted' for heavy loads as well as forlight loads.

Having described myl invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A spring, so applied between bearings, that the weight of a light load is sustained about midway of the length of the spring, and the weight of a heavy load is sustained near the ends of the spring, the manner of application being also such that the resisting power of the spring is proportionately increased according to the increase of the weight to be sustained, all substantially as herein described.

2. The upper bearing, block, o r blocks, so constructed and applied upon a spring, that the weight of a. light load is sustained' at the middle of the length of the spring, and the weight ofa heavier load transferred nearer the ends of the spring, substantially as described.

E. U. BENEDICT. Witn esses Hman GRANT, P. J.' Cossa. 

